The leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, has caused outrage after he said he wants to end the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular schools.
He made his remarks at a party event in Erfurt on August 9, 2023, where he also criticized the current state government led by the Left party for its education policy.
Inclusion is a policy that aims to ensure that all children, regardless of their physical, mental, or learning disabilities, have access to the same educational opportunities as their peers.
Höcke’s comments sparked a wave of condemnation from disability campaigners, politicians, and government officials, who defended the inclusion policy as a human right and a benefit for society.
Federal Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Jürgen Dusel said that Germany must take a particularly responsible approach to such matters, given the crimes committed by the Nazi regime, which also affected persons with disabilities, according to BNN News.
Höcke is known for his extremist views and his sympathy for Nazi ideology. He once called Berlin’s Holocaust memorial a “monument of shame” and advocated for a “180-degree turn” in Germany’s culture of remembrance.
He is facing charges for using a Nazi slogan at a rally in 2019. He said “Germany above all”, which is similar to the first line of the Nazi-era national anthem, according to DW News.
The AfD is currently the most popular party in Thuringia, with 34 percent of voter support, according to POLITICO. However, it is unlikely that Höcke would become the state’s head of government, as no other party wants to cooperate with the AfD.
Relevant articles:
– German far right’s Höcke wants to kick disabled kids out of regular schools, POLITICO, August 10, 2023
– Höcke-Aussagen zur Inklusion: So werden sie diskutiert, Berliner Morgenpost, August 11, 2023
– German far-right politician wants to exclude children with special needs from schools, BNN News, August 11, 2023
– AfD politician Höcke charged with using Nazi slogan, DW News, June 5, 2023